Ozone clock



M. G. BOYLE OZONE CLOCK June 8, 1954 Filed Sept. 16, 1952 Inventor.Malgolm 6. Doyle, by "PM QM M His Attorney.

Patented June 8, 1954 OZONE CLOCK Malcolm G. Doyle, Morrison, Ill.,assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New YorkApplication September 16, 1952, Serial No. 309,913

3 Claims.

My invention relates to clock-controlled ozone and germicidal lamps, andits object is to provide an ozone or germicidal lamp control which issimple, safe and convenient for use in homes and hospitals withoutrequiring the users to have any particular skill or knowledge of thesubject. For this purpose I have provided a control where the lamp isturned on manually but is always turned off automatically after arelatively short adjustable period of time.

Means are provided generally to protect the eyes of users from thedirect rays of the lamp. The clock used for control purposes ispreferably provided with the usual clock dial and hands and serves thepurpose of an ordinary clock, and its dial may be and preferably isarranged to be illuminated by the lamp and used as a signal to indicatewhen the lamp is on, and at such times may be used as a night light. Forthis purpose the clock dial and hands are so made as to glow by the useof fluorescent or radium paint, or the like, when exposed to theultraviolet rays from the lamp used.

The apparatus is preferably self-contained, the clock casing housing allof the necessary components such as a ballast or transformer for thelamp, the lamp itself, the control therefor, and the necessary clockworks such that the apparatus appears little different from an ordinaryhousehold clock and may be used as such in addition to performing itsfunctions as a deodorizer or sterilizer as and when needed.

The features of my invention which are believed to be novel andpatentable will be pointed out in the claims appended hereto.understanding of my invention reference is made in the followingdescription to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 represents aface view of the ozone clock with portions of the casing structurebroken away more clearly to illustrate illumination features to bedescribed. Fig. 2 represents a side view of the apparatus of Fig. 1 withportions of the casing wall broken away for the same purpose as Fig. 1,and Fig. 3 is a somewhat schematic illustration of the control and ofthe lamp and clock motor wiring diagram.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the apparatus is housed in a casing 4which, except for features to be mentioned, may be a conventional clockcase having an exposed clock dial at its front and with time-tellingminute and hour hands 5 and 6 indicating on such dial. At the centraltop of the case there is a chimney-like upward extension 1 which servesas a screen to protect the eyes of users from the direct rays of theozone or germicidal lamp 8 contained within such chimney. This may havean open back and have any suitable configuration to conform todecorative features of the clock case used. This chimney or screensection will be made of a material For a better which is partially orwholly opaque to ultraviolet rays generated by the lamp 8 when it is inoperation. The top of the chimney is open and the bottom may open intothe casing proper, and the casing may have one or more louver openingssuch as represented at 9 in Fig. 2 to permit the circulation of airthrough the chimney, the heat of the lamp when in operation providing anupward draft to promote such free circulation of air, and hence anefficient distribution of the beneficial effects produced by the lamp inthe room in which it is used.

The lamp 8 is supported and electrically connected in circuit by asuitable socket indicated at l l) in Fig. 2, the socket being supportedby any suitable casing or clock frame structure, not indicated.

As represented in Figs. 1 and 2, the front of the casing has a circulardial opening I I, which opening is closed by a transparent sheet bezell2 which may be made of Lucite glass, polystyrene or any othertransparent ultraviolet ray conducting material. This Lucite bezel partpreferably has a diameter somewhat larger than the dial opening H in thecasing and is inside and against the inner front wall of the casing. Theouter edge of the Lucite bezel is indicated at l3 such that there is acircular annular band between the inner edge of opening 1 I and theouter periphery of the Lucite bezel where the two overlap. And in thiscircular band the ordinary clock hour numerals are cut through the frontwall of the casing as indicated by the large numerals 2 to I0 inclusive,in Fig. 1. This then exposes the Lucite material directly to the rear ofsuch cutout numeral openings. The Lucite bezel material back of suchnumeral openings is painted with a fluorescent paint as indicated at Hiof a character which will glow when excited or exposed to ultravioletrays, and a reduced width section is of the Lucite bezel material isextended upward into the chimney 1 where it is bent towards the lamp 8and shaped at I5 efficiently to receive into its interior ultravioletrays from the lamp when the latter is energized, and to conduct suchrays through the Lucite by internal reflection to the various portionsof the Lucite which have been painted with the fluorescent paint. Thepaint causes refraction of such rays outwardly of the Lucite and hencethe fluorescent paint is caused to glow and be readily visible in thecutout numeral.

Similarly, there may be small marks I! made with fluorescent paintforming clock dial minute raduations on the outer surface of the Lucitejust inside the circular opening H, which also glow when excited by theultraviolet light transmitted through the Lucite from the lamp. The dialmarkings which are farthest from the lamp may have a progressivelyheavier deposit of the fluorescent material so that the dialluminescence will be uniform. The clock hands 5 and 6 are preferablymade of a skeleton formation with a narrow opening along their centralportions. These openings are filled with fluorescent paint, the openingsbeing narrow enough and the paint of such consistency as to be retainedtherein when dry. There is sufiicient ultraviolet light emitted from thevarious painted portions of the Lucite dial to cause the fluorescentmaterial in the clock hands to glow and show their positions in thedark, and to distinguish the hour hand from the larger minute hand. Thedetails of the ultraviolet light excited clock indications may bevaried, and various different paints con taining material which willglow when thus excited may be used. The clock hands may be insideinstead of outside the bezel.

As shown in Fig. 2, there is a background sheet iZa to the rear of thebezel it. This sheet may be paper, metal, opaque plastic, or the like,and may be painted or decorated in any desired color or colors andserves to hide the clock movement parts that would otherwise be visiblethrough the transparent bezel. It should, however, preferably be spacedslightly away from the bezel as shown because if in direct contact withthe bezel, it sewes to release from the bezel. and thus waste, a portionof the ultraviolet rays.

Just above the clock numeral 6 is a small min ute scale it graduatedfrom O to 60, and in this case marked Ozone. These markings may be cutinto the Lucite and filled with a fluorescent material so as to flowwhen excited by ultraviolet light from the lamp 3. Indicating withrespect to dial it is a pointer knob 59 consimutin the control knob forturning on lamp 8 and adjustins the time on period thereof from any timefrom zero up to 60 minutes.

One suitable arrangement for such control is shown in Fig. 3. The knobi9 is on a rotatable shaft 25, the shaft extending through the Lucitebezel with the knob accessible on the outside. The shaft is mounted inbearings in the clock casing and has on it within the clock casin amercury switch and a friction or gear drive sector 22. A mercury orother enclosed switch is desirable from a safety standpoint. A spring 23fastened between a stationary post 2d and the shaft assembly urges theshaft in a counterclockwise direction. The post 24- extcnds beneath thehub portion of the sector and serves as a stop to restrict rotation ofthe assembly within desired limits.

At 26 is represented the motor for driving the clock and this willpreferably be a self-starting synchronous motor, although it could be aspring motor. From a suitable speed shaft in the clock train(illustrated diagrammatically) a friction wheel or gear 2? is drivencontinuously in a olocl' wise direction and is positioned to engagesector 22 in driving relation when the sector is rotated thereagainst.From an Off position where the pointer on knob 59 points below or to theleft of the zero end of scale is, with the sector 22 below and out ofengagement with the friction wheel and stopped by stop pin 2d, the knobl9 may be turned in a clockwise direction to bring sector intofrictional driving engagement with friction drive wheel 22?, and becausethis is a friction drive or a friction clutch is otherwise provided thesector may be slipped on wheel to any desired driving position. When thelrnob is then released, the sector 22, the shaft 253 with the mercuryswitch mounted thereon, and knob id are driven by the clock in acounterclockwise direction at a speed such that the pointer on knob 88would be driven over scale 98 at a rate corresponding to the minutegraduations on such scale. When the pointer reaches and indicates on thezero end of the scale, the sector 22 disengages from wheel 2?, andspring 2'3 rotates shaft 28 a small distance further in acounterclockwise direction to an Off position until stopped by stop Inmovingto this Off position the mercury switch 25 is tilted to opencircuit position positively and quickly and is tilted to closed circuitcondition whenever sector 22 is in engagement with friction wheel 2?. Itis thus seen that this control constitutes a manually closed, adjustabletime delay automatically opened switch.

The time On period may be 'eadjusted at any time when the switch isclosed. For instance, assume the operator has closed the switch and setthe time On period for 30 minutes where the pointer on lrnob it! pointsto the middle graduation of scale 53. If before the 30 minutes are up,it is decided that the time delay On period should be extended ordecreased, this may be done by corresponding manual adjustments of knob19. Likewise, the switch may be turned off manually at any time beforewould be turned off automatically.

The contacts of the switch are in series relation with the primary of astep-down transformer 23 which is connected across alternating currentsource assumed to be a ll0-vo1t, Gil-cycle source which supplies boththe clocl: motor and transformer. The secondary of the transformer isconnected to the lamp 3. The transformer ratio should be such as tosupply the correct lamp voltage. For example, a common form of ozonelamp requires 12.5 volts and 356 milliamperes. In place of atransformer, a ballast resistance might be used, but I prefer to use atransformer as it may be made smaller, lighter, and consumes less powerthan the required ballast resistance. The transformer may be made smallenough to be enclosed in the clock casing, and in Fig. 1 I haveindicated the transformer as being within the clock casing at 28. Thelamp used is one that produces or emits untraviolet rays and may beparticularly designed to break down the atmosphere to liberate freeoxygen or ozone, or it may be particularly designed to emit germ-killingultraviolet rays, eliminate undesirable odors, or produce therapeuticresults. The rays from such lamp, while beneficial for the purpose forwhich intended, are detrimental to the eyes if there is exposure for anyappreciable time; hence, the use of a chimney or screen which is opaqueto ultraviolet rays. To prevent possible distressing or harmful resultsby continuous or prolonged operation of the lamp, I have arranged thecontrol so that the lamp is never turned on automatically, and whenturned on will be turned off automatically within a relatively shortperiod of time. In the example given, the time during which the lamp maybe turned on without attention cannot exceed one hour. Hence, a personmay turn the lamp on and forget it or go to sleep with the assurancethat it will be turned off without further attention within an intendedshort time. This is desirable also because lamps of this character havea relatively short useful life.

There is a further safety feature in having the clock driven by a selfstaring electric motor energized in parallel with the lamp as describedbecause in case of a power failure and a consequent stopping of theclock with the switch closed, the lamp nevertheless goes off but comeson again when the power is restored and the motor is started so that thetotal time on period before and after the power failure will be that forwhich adjusted, whereas with a spring-driven clock the clock could stopwith the switch on and the lamp would continue to burn indefinitely.

Ultraviolet lamps of the type contemplated do not give off anysubstantial amount of visible light, although in the dark the lamp wouldbe visible without any fluorescent material being used and could, whilelit, serve as a night li ht and as a night signal as to the on or offcondition of the lamp. The fluorescent material on the clock dialmaterially increases the visibility in the dark and enables time to beread at night, and when the lamp is on serves as a signal for the lampon or off condition even in the daytime. In the daytime the holes formedby the cutout clock hour numbers in the clock dial shade the bottom ofthese holes formed by the Lucite so if the lamp is not lit, these shadedopenings appear dark but if the lamp is lit, they glow sufficiently evenin the daylight to provide a lamp on or lamp off signal, whereas in thedaytime with the lamp itself screened by the chimney it would not, byitself, be a satisfactory signal. The ventilation produced by the heatof the lamp is beneficial, both as tending to keep the transformer coolwhen energized and as tending to cause circulation of the air in theroom where the device is used. Thus, in the case of an ozone lamp theozone tends to be distributed about the room although there is nonoticeable draft.

Thus, the apparatus in addition to its utility as an ordinarytime-telling clock provides the health features described as and whenneeded or desired with safety, convenience, and with relatively smalladditional cost. The control and transformer being inside the clock caseand with the lamp hidden from visibility by a screen that may beincorporated into the clock case design, the apparatus may havesubstantially the space requirements and appearance of an ordinary,attractive clock.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent in the UnitedStates is:

1. A clock, a casing therefor, said clock having a clock dial andtime-tellin pointers exposed to view at the front of said casing, anultraviolet lamp supported by said casing, said lamp when energizedproducing ozone in the atmosphere surrounding said lamp and casing andcirculation of such atmosphere, a screen opaque to ultraviolet rayshiding said lamp from the view of a person to the front of said casing,a sheetlike piece of transparent material capable of transmittingultraviolet rays by internal reflection forming at least a portion ofsaid clock dial and extending to the vicinity of said lamp so as to beexposed to and to receive rays from said lamp into its interior, andfluorescent material deposited on clock dial portions of said sheetmaterial which are caused to glow by reason of the ultraviolet raystransmitted thereto from the lamp through the sheet material, a switchin said casing through which electric energy is supplied to said lamp,adjustable time delay means in said casing operated by said clock foropening said switch, and manual means accessible at the front of saidclock for closing said switch and adjustin the time delay setting ofsaid switch opening means.

2. A clock, a casing therefor, a dial and clock hands for the clockexposed to view from the front of said casing, an ultraviolet lampsupported at the top of said casing, a chimney-like screen opaque toultra-violet rays for hiding said lamp from view from the front andsides of said casing, said clock dial including transparent sheetmaterial capable of transmitting ultraviolet rays by internalreflection, which material extends to the vicinity of said lamp andreceives ultraviolet rays therefrom into its interior, fiucrescent clockdial markings deposited on the front surface of said sheet material andon said clock hands which are caused to glow when the lamp is energizedby reason of ultraviolet rays transmitted through the sheet materialfrom the lamp, said lamp when energized producing ozone in the adjacentatmosphere and the circulation of such atmosphere, voltage reducingmeans in said casing through which the lamp is supplied, a switch insaid casing for energizing and deenergizing said lamp, adjustable timedelay means in said casing operated by said clock for opening saidswitch when closed, manual means accessible at the front of said casingfor closing said switch and setting the time delay adjustment of theswitch opening means, and a time scale on said clock dial and a pointeron said manual means for indicating such time de lay setting adjustment.

3. A combined clock and ultraviolet ray producing apparatus comprising aclock casing, a self-starting electric motor driven clock movement insaid casing, a clock dial and hands for said clock at the front of saidcasing and having material thereon which will glow when excited byultraviolet light, an ultraviolet lamp supported at the top of saidcasing, casing structure hiding said lamp from the view of a person atthe front of said casing, internal ray reflecting material fortransmitting ultraviolet rays from said lamp to the fluorescent materialon the dial and hands, a voltage reducing transformer in said casingthrough which the lamp is supplied, connections for energizing theelectric motor of the clock movement and the primary of said transformerin parallel from a common source of supply, a switch of the enclosedcontact type in said casing connected between the primary of saidtransformer and the parallel connection to said source of supply, arotary shaft in said casing and extending to the front thereof foropening and closing said switch, said shaft being biased in a switchopening direction, a pointer and a knob at the front end of said shaftfor manually rotatatively adjusting the shaft, a time scale on the clockdial on which said last-mentioned pointer indicates the rotaryadjustment position of said shaft, and a wheel in said clock movementand a wheel sector on said shaft rotatable into driving engagement fordriving said shaft in a switch opening direction when engaged, saidswitch being closed only when said driving parts are in drivingengagement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 762,261 Strasburg June 7, 1904 1,770,874 Brown July 1 19302,091,342 Von Bloem Aug. 31, 1937 2,345,817 Law Aug. 1, 1944 2,414,835Regensteiner et al. Jan. 28, 1947 2,525,464 Springer Oct. 1 1 52,551,683 Levy May 1951 2,595,973 Neugass May 1952

